Method of folding sheet material.



.F. ZALESKI.

METHOD OF FOLDING sum MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILEU'MAR. 3|, 1917:

1265578. Patented May 7,1918.

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FrunK ZoflesKi A'IIys.

UNI STS PATENT @FFECE.

FRANK ZALESKI, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REECE SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, 01? BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May *2, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ZALESKI, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Somerville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Methods of Folding Sheet Material, of which the following description, 111 connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a method of folding sheet material so that the folded article will present a portion of double thickness at its periphery and will be provided with an upturned lip at a slight distance from its peripheral edge and at the inner boundary of the portion of double thickness. My improved method may be used for making a variety of articles where it is desired that the peripheral portion of the article should be of double thickness and it is also desired that the article should present an upturned lip at a slight distance from the periphery. I have chosen to illustrate my invention herein as it might be practised in producing an insole for a welt boot or shoe having the above characteristics. I desire to state, however, that the invention is not limited to the production of insoles and an insole has been referred to merely as a means of illustrating the principal features of the invention.

I have shown in the drawings some of the steps of my improved process and have also illustrated a machine by means of which the process may be carried out.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows the essential elements of a folding machine by which my improved process may be carried out with the parts in position ready to make the fold;

Fig. 2 shows the first step in the folding operation;

Fig. 3 illustrates the final step in the folding operation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the shape-giving element;

Fig. '5 is a plan view of the combined die and folding element;

Fig. 6 is an underside view of the combined die and folding element;

Fig. 7 is a view of the blank from which the insole is made;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the completed insole.

My improved process involves the folding of a sheet of material to produce an article which has a double thickness at its periph-' eral portion and has an upturned lipadjacent its periphery at the inner edge of the portion of double thickness. For instance, in Fig. 8, I have shown an insole to illustrate one form of article made in accordance with my invention, and this has the body portion 4.0, the peripheral marginal portion 42 of double thickness, and the upturned lip 43 situated adjacent the inner edge of the portion 12 of double thickness. In making an article having this characteristic by my improved process, I first bend or upturn a sufficient amount of the marginal portion of a blank of sheet material into a position at substantially right angles to the body thereof and then I form a fold entirely in that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet that has not been upturned, thereby to produce the'folded marginal portion 49; of the completed article, the peripheral edge portion of the upturned marginal portion remaining in its upturned position to produce the lip 43.

When the folded marginal portion 42 of the article is completed, one of the plies of the fold occupies the plane of the portion of the sheet which was not upturned.

In folding the marginal portion of the blank of sheet material into its position at substantially right angles to the body thereof, I will preferably employ a shape-giving element which engages the central portion of the blank and against the sides of which the marginal portion of the blank may be upturned, and in the succeeding step of folding a part of the upturned marginal portion, I will preferably use a folding memher which grips the upturned marginal portion and presses it against the sides of the shape-giving element and then is moved to.- ward the face of said shape-giving element thereby carrying the upturned marginal portion toward said face and forming the outwardly-folded portion 42.

The above-described steps of the process will perhaps be better understood by reference to an apparatus such as that herein illustrated and by which the process may be practised, and I will, therefore, proceed to describe the device shown. I wish to state, however, that this apparatus has been illustrated simply to assist in giving an understanding of the process and that the steps of the process may be carried out by apparatus constructed differently from that herein shown.

In the device illustrated 1 indicates a bed,

2 indicates an element that for convenience I will term theshape-giving element, and 3 indicates generally a combined die and folding element. The combined die and folding element-comprises a main or body portionfi and a plurality of folding blades 4 and 5 which are sustained on the body portion,

are movable radially. The shape-giving element 2 has. alshape corresponding to the interior contour of the upturned lip 43 of the completed article. The folding blades 4 r and 5 .are so constructed that they present a,

made. vVhere this article is an insole, such,

as shown in Fig. 8, the blank which is designated 11 will be of substantially the shape shown in. Fig. 7 In folding this blank in accordance with my invention, said blank is first placed in the pocket 9 when the ele ments of the folding machine are in the relative. position shown in. Fig. 1. The folding blades 4 and 5 are in their retracted position so that the openinglO between them is,

slightly larger than the shape-giving element 2. The shape-giving element 2 is then depressed through the opening 10, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forcing the blankll therethrough and causing the marginal portion 12 of the blank to be upturned against the sides of the shape-giving element 2. The

. movement of the shape-giving element 2 carlies the body of the blank against the bed 1, and, the folding blades 4 and 5 are so spaced relative to the bed that when the shape-giving element is in the position sh own inFig. 2, thefolding blades engage theupturned marginal portions 12 relatively near the peripheral edge thereof. lVhen the parts are in this position, the blades 4 and 5 are moved inwardly so as to bring the biting or gripping edge 7 firmly against the upturned marginal portion 12. The folding element 3 isthen depressed into the position shown in Fig. 3, and during this operation the folded edge portion 42 of theicompleted article is formed from that portionof the upturned marginal portion 12 of the blank which is situated between the gripping edge 7 in Fig. 2 and the portion of the blank which has not been upturned. The gripping edge 7 is pressed firmly againstthe upturned I sides of the blank and when the folding blades are depressed, this gripping edge grips the upturned portion of'the blank and forces it downwardly relative to the shapegiving element 2, and during this-downward movement the part of the upfolded marginal portion 12 between the edge 7 and the bed 1 is formed into the outwardlyextending fold 42. The peripheral part 13 of the upfolded marginal portion 12 which is above the gripping edge 7 remainsin contact with theside, walls of the shape-giving element 2 and: thus forms the upturned lip 43 of the. completed article. After the article is thus completed,

the shape-giving element 2 and folder, 3am;

returned to their normal position shown a in Fig. 1.

The foldingv elements 4 and 5, operate. ot

only to make 'the fold 42, but also to set this, fold. Where the surface of the bed 1 on which the fold is made is plane surface, then when. the fold 42 is formed in the'completed article, theunder or lower ply of the fold will be formed in the plane ofthebody of the blank 11. v

Inthe constructionillustrated, the bed 1 is shown ashaying; a shoulder 14 encircling the portion ofthefbedon which the fold is.

made, said shoulder having. such shape and contour as to fit the peripheraledge of the fold 42. The shoulder 14 thus assi stsf in giving the proper shape to=the periphery of omp et d artic y ite lem ee may e mpl y d r giving movement to thesshape-giving element; 2 and the folder element- 3 I have herein illustrated a -shaft 15 a cam 16 thereon. which actuates a plunger; 17-to.

w h the, hap i ng; lem is e ur d,

this Cam giv n t proper m v men to sa d. h p -g ng; l ment. T Q 1er.- s.g n its vertical movement by means of cams170,

onthe shaft 15, said cams ,actingagainst the rods 18 extending upwardly, from the folder n s; pe-emhoua the shape-giving element and r d against the cams and thus 1 to raise the shape-giving element and folder element at the proper time. The foldingblades l, and5 arepref ab y. ac e ponbr pri g 9.Wh1i h nd to hold them separated from each other and,

ey re moved nw ly nto. firm. ont c with the upfolded marginal portion; 12 of the work, as shown in full linesFig. 2, by cams 21 which are actuated bylevers 22. Theselevers. are in turn actuated by wedge members 44 which are guided in the; frame and which are given their operativemove ment by cams 45 on the dr iVing sha-ft- 15, he c ms. re o imed-4 to move he wedge members downwardly at the proper timein thecyclezof operations tocl'amp the folding members against the upfolded-(por tion 12.

From the above it will be seen that my im-sv 13-0 proved process involves the upturning of a marginal portion of a blank of sheet material and then forming an outwardly-extending fold entirely in that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the blank that has not been upturned. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the outwardly-extending fold is so formed that when it is completed, one of the plies thereof occupies the plane of the body of the blank. The entire folded portion 42 of the completed article is nevertheless formed entirely from the portion of the blank which was upturned before the fold was made.

While I have illustrated herein one way in which my improved process may be carried out, I do not wish to be limited thereto.

1 claim:

1. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet and then forcing the peripheral part of the upturned portion toward that part of the sheet which is not upturned thereby to form an outwardlyextending fold in that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet which has not been upturned.

2. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet and then making an outwardly-extending fold which is formed entirely in that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet which has not been upturned and retaining the peripheral part of the upturned marginal portion in its upturned position.

3. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet and then forcing the peripheral part of said upturned portion toward that portion of the sheet which has not been upturned in the direction of the upturned portion thereby to form in said upturned portion an outwardly-extending fold.

4. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet and then doubling on itself that part of the upturned marginal portion immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet which is not upturned while retaining the peripheral part of said upturned marginal portion in its upturned position.

5. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet against the sides of a shape-giving element, engaging said upturned portion along a line near its edge, and then forcing said upturned portion toward the face of said element thereby to form an outwardly-extending fold in that part of the upturned portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet that is not upturned.

6. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet against the side wall of a shape-giving element, pressing said upturned portion against the side wall of said element along a line separated from the face of said element and then moving the part of the upturned portion which is thus pressed against the side wall downwardly toward the face of the element thereby to form an outwardly-extending fold in the part of the upturned portion between the face of said element and the point where said upturned portion is pressed against said wall of the element.

7. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet, making an outwardlyextending fold which is formed entirely in that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately circumjacent the portion of the sheet that has not been upturned and then pressing said outwardly-extending fold.

8. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet forming in the upturned marginal portion an outwardly-extending fold, one ply of which occupies the plane of that portion of the sheet which has not been upturned and retaining the peripheral part of said upturned marginal portion in its upturned position while the fold is being made.

9. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet material, engaging the marginal portion near the peripheral edge thereof and moving said peripheral edge toward that portion of the sheet which has not been upturned thereby to form an outwardly-extending fold in the part of the upturned portion between the point where it is engaged and the part of the sheet which has not been upturned.

10. The method of folding sheet material which consists in bending said sheet over the end of a shape-giving element with'the marginal portion of the sheet against the side wall of said element and forcing the peripheral part of said upturned portion toward the face of said element while in contact with the side wall thereof thereby to form an outwardly-extending fold in the upturned marginal portion.

11. The method of folding sheet material which consists in upturning the marginal portion of a sheet while holding the central portion thereof in a flat condition and then folding that part of the upturned marginal portion which is immediately oircumjacent the central portion of the sheet thereby to form an outwardly-extending fold, one ply of which; feld is in the plane, of the central part of the sheet, and" retaining the periph eral part of the upturned marginal P01131011.

in itsv upturned position: While the fold is being made.

, 12. The method of folding sheet material shape-g vlng element and then moving the.

m agre edge 03";- saidupturned. portiontoward. that 10 In, testimony whereof; I have signed my 15 name to thiszspeeification.

FRANK ZALESKI.

' (logiesvot this patent may, behohtaineddior five, cents each, addresling the (lbmmissibner of Patents.

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